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Source: pramana-mt · Machine translation by Gemini 3.8 Flash (2026-10-21) of in.bauddha.taisho.1990 · Machine output without human authorship: no copyright is claimed (CC0 1.0). The original text keeps its own…

1 — 82 parts

Text

1.1

Compiled by the śramaṇa Yufeng Yuanxin of Jingshan and the master of Wudi, Guo Ningzhi.

The Master's taboo name was Huiji; he was a son of the Ye clan of Huaihua in Shaozhou. At the age of nine, he went to Chan Master Tong at He'an Monastery in Guangzhou to leave household life (that is, Non-speaking Tong). When he was fourteen, his parents brought him back, wishing to arrange a marriage for him. The Master would not comply; thereupon he severed two fingers of his hand, knelt before his parents, and vowed to seek the true Dharma in order to repay their toil and care. Only then did his parents consent, and he went once again to Master Tong's place to receive tonsure. Before receiving full ordination, he set out on itinerant pilgrimage. He first visited Danyuan and had already awakened to the abstruse purport; later he studied with Guishan and thereupon ascended to the innermost sanctum.

1.3

Danyuan said to the Master, "The National Teacher in his day transmitted the circular figures of the six generations of patriarchs, ninety-seven in total, and conferred them upon this old monk, saying: 'Thirty years after my passing, a śrāmaṇera will arrive from the south and greatly propagate this teaching, transmitting and conferring it in succession so as not to let it be severed.' I now entrust them to you; you should uphold and practice them." He then handed the original over to the Master. The Master took it, glanced through it once, and immediately burned it with fire. One day Danyuan asked, "The various figures from before should be kept strictly secret and treasured." The Master said, "Back then, as soon as I looked at them, I burned them up." Danyuan said, "No one can comprehend this dharma gate of mine; only my late teacher, the patriarchs, and the great sages could fully know it. How could you burn it?" The Master said, "With a single glance, Huiji already knew its meaning; it is only to be put to use—one must not cling to the book." Danyuan said, "Though that may be so, while it is fine for you, people of later times will not be able to believe in it." The Master said, "If the upādhyāya requires it, it is not difficult to record them again." He immediately compiled another volume and presented it, with not a single one missing. Danyuan said, "So it is."

1.4

Danyuan ascended the hall. The Master stepped out from the assembly, made this ○ figure, held it up with his hands to present it, and then stood with his hands folded. Danyuan crossed both hands to make fists and showed them. The Master advanced three steps and made a woman's bow. Danyuan nodded; the Master then made a full prostration. While the Master was washing his robe, Danyuan said, "Just at such a time, how is it?" The Master said, "Just at such a time, toward what place can it be seen?"

1.5

Later, he visited Guishan. Guishan asked, "Are you a śrāmaṇera with a master, or a śrāmaṇera without a master?" The Master said, "I have a master." Guishan said, "Where is the master?" The Master crossed from the west to the east and stood there. Guishan marveled at him. The Master asked, "What is the dwelling place of the true Buddha?" Guishan said, "Using the marvel of thinking the unthought, turn reflection back to the inexhaustible spiritual flame; when thought is exhausted, one returns to the source, where nature and characteristics constantly abide, phenomena and principle are non-dual, and the true Buddha is tathatā." The Master achieved sudden awakening at these words. From then on he served him in attendance, lingering there for fifteen years in all.

1.6

While the Master was sweeping the ground, Guishan asked, "Dust cannot be swept away; space does not arise of itself. What is 'dust cannot be swept away'?" The Master swept the ground once. Guishan said, "What is 'space does not arise of itself'?" The Master pointed to his own body and then pointed to Guishan. Guishan said, "Dust cannot be swept away; space does not arise of itself. Apart from these two paths, how is it again?" The Master again swept the ground once, again pointed to his own body, and also pointed to Guishan.

1.7

One day, Guishan pointed to a field and asked the Master, "In this plot of field, that end is high and this end is low." The Master said, "On the contrary, this end is high and that end is low." Guishan said, "If you do not believe it, stand in the middle and look at both ends." The Master said, "There is no need to stand in the middle, nor should one dwell at either end." Guishan said, "If so, pour water and look; water can level things." The Master said, "Water also has no fixed state: where it is high, it is high-level; where it is low, it is low-level." Guishan then dropped the matter.

1.8

A dānapati presented silk to Guishan. The Master asked, "The upādhyāya receives such offerings from the dānapati; with what will you repay him?" Guishan tapped the meditation seat to show him. The Master said, "How can the upādhyāya take what belongs to the public and use it as his own?" (In another version: Guishan asked the Master, "A lay disciple has brought three bolts of silk to ransom the bell for me, thereby gaining merit for the people of the world." The Master said, "The lay disciple has silk to ransom the bell for the upādhyāya; with what will the upādhyāya recompense him?" Guishan tapped the meditation seat three times with his staff and said, "I recompense him with this." The Master said, "If it is this, what is it used for?" Guishan again tapped the meditation seat three times and said, "Why do you disesteem this?" The Master said, "I do not disesteem this; it is just that it belongs to everyone." Guishan said, "Since you know it belongs to everyone, why do you still come to me seeking something to recompense him?" The Master said, "I only wonder why the upādhyāya takes what belongs to everyone to perform personal courtesies." Guishan said, "Have you not seen that when Master Bodhidharma came to this land from the Western Heavens, he also brought this object to perform courtesies? All of you are recipients of his token of trust.")

1.9

While serving as director of duties at Guishan, the Master returned from his labor. Guishan asked, "Where have you been?" The Master said, "I have come from the fields." Guishan said, "How many people were in the fields?" The Master thrust his spade into the ground and folded his hands. Guishan said, "Today on the South Mountain many people are mowing cogongrass." The Master pulled up the spade and walked off. (Xuansha Bei said, "Had I seen him, I would have kicked the spade over." A monk asked Jingqing, "When Yangshan thrust in the spade, what was the meaning?" Jingqing said, "A dog holding a decree of pardon in its mouth; the feudal lords yield the road." The monk said, "Just as when Xuansha kicked it over, what was the meaning?" Jingqing said, "Unable to do anything about the boat, he smashed the bailer." The monk said, "What was the meaning of mowing cogongrass on the South Mountain?" Jingqing said, "Third Brother Li Jing has long been experienced in battle formations." Yunju Xi said, "Tell me, did Jingqing render this verdict accurately or not?" Xuedou Xian said, "Every quarter says that the spade-thrusting story is extraordinary; this is very much like pursuing error and chasing wickedness. According to Xuedou's view, Yangshan, upon receiving Guishan's single question, tied himself up completely with a grass rope, completely dead." Cuiyan Zhi said, "Yangshan obtained only one stake; does anyone have another understanding?")

1.10

While the Master was herding cattle at Guishan, Sthavira Titian Tai asked, "I do not ask about one lion appearing on the tip of a single hair; what about a hundred billion lions appearing on the tips of a hundred billion hairs?" The Master mounted his ox and returned. While standing in attendance upon Guishan, he had just related the previous words when he saw Tai arrive. The Master said, "It is this very sthavira." Guishan then asked, "A hundred billion lions appearing on the tips of a hundred billion hairs—was that not spoken by the sthavira?" Tai said, "It was." The Master said, "Just at the time of appearing, do they appear before the hair or after the hair?" Tai said, "At the time of appearing, one does not speak of before or after." Guishan laughed heartily. The Master said, "The lion's waist is broken." He then went down.

1.11

The Master accompanied Guishan on a walk in the mountains. They came to sit on a boulder, and while the Master was standing in attendance, suddenly a crow flew past carrying a red persimmon in its beak, which dropped in front of them. Guishan picked it up and gave it to the Master. The Master took it, washed it, and offered it back to Guishan. Guishan said, "Where did you get this?" The Master said, "This is brought about by the upādhyāya's virtue in the Way." Guishan said, "You must not be without a share either." He then divided half and gave it to the Master. (Xuansha said, "Big and small Guishan were held down by Yangshan in a single sitting, and to this day they cannot get up.")

1.12

Guishan asked the Master, "If someone suddenly asks you, how would you respond?" The Master said, "If Uncle Dongsi were here, I would not be left in lonely quiet." Guishan said, "I pardon you the offense of not responding." The Master said, "Giving life and taking life depend on just a single word." Guishan said, "I do not deny your view, but there is someone else who does not agree." The Master said, "Who?" Guishan pointed to an exposed pillar and said, "This one." The Master said, "What does it say?" Guishan said, "What does it say?" The Master said, "The white rat shifts and changes; the silver terrace remains constant."

1.13

The Master asked Guishan, "When the great functioning manifests before us, I ask the master to distinguish it clearly." Guishan stepped down from his seat and returned to the abbot's quarters; the Master followed him inside. Guishan asked, "What phrase were you asking about just now?" The Master raised it again. Guishan said, "Do you still remember my answering words?" The Master said, "I remember." Guishan said, "Try raising them for me to see." The Master said, "Take care," and walked out. Guishan said, "Wrong." The Master turned his head and said, "If junior brother Xian comes, it would be best not to say that I had no words."

1.14

While the Master was herding cattle on the slope in front of Guishan, he saw a monk go up the mountain and come down shortly after. The Master asked, "Why does the sthavira not stay on the mountain for a while?" The monk said, "Merely because the conditions did not accord." The Master said, "What conditions were there? Try raising them for me to see." The monk said, "The upādhyāya asked what my name was; I replied, 'Guizhen' [Return to Truth]. The upādhyāya said, 'Where is returning to truth?' I had no response." The Master said, "Sthavira, go back and say to the upādhyāya: 'I have found the words.' When the upādhyāya asks, 'How do you say it?' just say: 'In the eyes, in the ears, in the nose.'" The monk returned and did exactly as taught. Guishan said, "Empty, deceitful fellow! These are the words of a good friend to five hundred people."

1.15

While the Master was lying down, he dreamed that he entered the assembly hall of Maitreya's Inner Court. All the seats were filled, with only the second seat empty; the Master thereupon took that seat. A venerable one struck the mallet and said, "Today it is the turn of the second seat to preach the Dharma." The Master arose, struck the mallet, and said, "The Mahāyāna Dharma is free from the four propositions and cut off from the hundred negations. Listen attentively, listen attentively!" The assembly all dispersed. When he awoke, he recounted it to Guishan. Guishan said, "You have already entered the noble stage." The Master then made a prostration. (Guishan Xiu said, "Interpreting the meaning according to the text is not absent. If someone capable in Maitreya's assembly had, as soon as he saw him say 'Mahāyāna Dharma,' immediately said, 'Shut your two lips!'—not only would this have stopped Yangshan's sleep-talk, but it would also have spared people of later times from telling dreams within a dream." Langye Jue said, "Tell me, did the noble assembly approve of Yangshan or not? If they approved, they failed Yangshan; if they did not approve, Yangshan was like someone stumbling on flat ground. Today this mountain monk does not spare his eyebrows and lays it bare for you all: the Mahāyāna Dharma is free from the four propositions and cut off from the hundred negations. If you recount this to the various quarters and they understand it like this, entering hell will be as swift as a shot arrow." Dongchan Guan said, "When the venerable one struck the mallet, the noble assembly immediately dispersed; this might well make people doubt. But waiting until a second ladle of dirty water is splashed before starting to become sober is already too late. As for 'the Mahāyāna Dharma is free from the four propositions and cut off from the hundred negations'—the words have already been spoken; do you still recognize Yangshan?")

1.16

While the Master was walking in attendance upon Guishan, he suddenly saw dust rising ahead. Guishan said, "What is that in front?" The Master stepped forward, looked closely, and then made this [circular] figure. Guishan nodded.

1.17

Guishan instructed the assembly, saying: "All sentient beings are entirely without buddhadhātu." Yanguan instructed the assembly, saying: "All sentient beings entirely have buddhadhātu." Two monks from Yanguan's community went to investigate. Upon arriving at Guishan, they heard Guishan's expounding, but could not fathom its depths and seemed to develop a slighting and arrogant attitude. One day, during a conversation with the Master, they advised him, saying: "Elder brother, you must study diligently; the Buddhadharma cannot be taken lightly." Thereupon, the Master drew this circular figure [○], held it out in his hands to show them, and then tossed it behind his back. He then stretched out both hands toward the two monks, asking for it back. The two monks were at a loss. The Master said: "My elder brothers, you must truly study diligently; the Buddhadharma cannot be taken lightly." Then he stood up and left. At that time the two monks were returning to Yanguan. Having walked thirty li, one monk suddenly had an awakening, and thereupon said: "One should know that when Guishan says 'All sentient beings are entirely without buddhadhātu,' believing this is not mistaken." He immediately returned to Guishan. The other monk walked forward a few more li; while crossing a stream, he suddenly had an awakening and sighed to himself, saying: "Guishan's saying 'All sentient beings are entirely without buddhadhātu'—there is indeed clear reason for him to speak thus!" He also returned to Guishan and long relied upon his teaching seat.

1.18

Because several people from Yanguan's assembly came to Guishan and refused to submit, one day, during communal labor carrying harvested grain at the West Farm, the Master reached the mountain ridge and put down his load; more than ten people behind him also arrived and put down theirs. The Master then lifted up his grain shoulder-pole and load, walked a circle in front of them all, and said: "Is there anything? Is there anything?" That whole line of monks had no reply. The Master said: "You are utterly deceiving people to death!" Then he shouldered the grain and left.

1.19

While Guishan was herding cattle together with the Master, Guishan said: "Is there any bodhisattva in here or not?" The Master said: "There is." Guishan said: "Which one do you see as such? Try pointing it out and let me see." The Master said: "Which one does the Upādhyāya doubt is not? Try pointing it out and let me see." Guishan then dropped the matter.

1.20

The Master brought some fruit up to Guishan. Guishan took it and asked: "Where did you get this from?" The Master said: "From the family garden." Guishan said: "Is it fit to eat yet?" The Master said: "I did not dare to taste it; I present it first to the Upādhyāya." Guishan said: "Whose is it?" The Master said: "It is Huiji's." Guishan said: "Since it is yours, why do you make me taste it first?" The Master said: "The Upādhyāya has tasted thousands and tens of thousands of them." Guishan then ate it and said: "It still carries some sour astringency." The Master said: "Could sour astringency be unknown to oneself?" Guishan did not answer.

1.21

At the end of the summer retreat, when the Master paid his respects to Guishan, Guishan said: "You have not been seen coming up the whole summer; what duties were you engaged in down below?" The Master said: "Down below, I hoed a patch of slash-and-burn field and sowed a basket of seed." Guishan said: "You did not spend this summer in vain." The Master in turn asked: "May I inquire what duties the Upādhyāya was engaged in during the summer?" Guishan said: "A single meal at midday, a single sleep after dark." The Master said: "The Upādhyāya also did not spend this summer in vain." Having spoken, he stuck out his tongue. Guishan said: "Why must you, Jizi, injure your own life?" (Guishan Zhe said: "Yangshan's eyes illuminated the four continents, but coming before Dayuan, he fell flat on clean ground. Dayuan can indeed be called having the affinity of nurturing a son, but he could not avoid being on the lips of later generations." Longmen Yuan said: "When the father and son of Guiyang meet in everyday life, their play of spiritual powers is no small matter. Is there anyone who understands? If not, this mountain monk will tell you all: having opened a patch of slash-and-burn field, dense and unbroken, through two meals of gruel and rice its way is naturally managed. This mountain monk met with you all throughout the summer, but you yourselves did not recognize it. If you also recognize it into a single whole, what kind of whole is it? Look closely at the arrow right before the gate!" Xichan Ru said: "Father and son of Guiyang go out and enter, roll up and unfold, achieving complete mastery. You must definitely not make conventional truth reckonings, nor make Buddhadharma understandings of it. Since none of such reckonings are permitted, after all how do you understand it? Opening a patch of slash-and-burn field, planting a basket of millet; looking back at leisure, the mountains are blue and the waters green again. All day just one meal, after night just one lodging; when tired, stretch out your legs to sleep, a thousandfold and myriadfold sufficient. Together as the eighth and ninth months arrive, yellow chrysanthemums spread luxuriantly beside the hedge." Donglin Yan said: "Monks nowadays gather in flocks of hundreds and thousands, passing through winter and spending the summer wasting their days in vain, deeply doing a disservice to the ancients. It is not that Donglin criticizes the past sage, but Yangshan showed off his cleverness too much; sticking out his tongue was only getting half of it.")

1.22

One day Guishan saw the Master coming; he crossed both hands over each other, swept each three times, and then held up one finger. The Master also crossed both hands over each other, swept each three times, and then brought them before his chest, with one hand palm-up and one hand palm-down, gazing at him with his eyes. Guishan dropped the matter.

1.23

Guishan was feeding raw rice to crows; turning his head, he saw the Master and said: "Today I will ascend the hall once for them." The Master said: "Following the routine, I am privileged to hear it." Guishan said: "How is the matter that was heard?" The Master said: "Crows make crow calls; magpies make magpie cries." Guishan said: "What can be done about sound and form?" The Master said: "What did the Upādhyāya say just now?" Guishan said: "I only said that I would ascend the hall once for them." The Master said: "Why call it sound and form?" Guishan said: "Even though it is like this, examining it is harmless." The Master said: "How is the great cause and condition to be examined?" Guishan held up his fist. The Master said: "In the end it points east and sketches west." Guishan said: "What did you ask just now?" The Master said: "I asked about the Upādhyāya's great cause and condition." Guishan said: "Why call it pointing east and sketching west?" The Master said: "Because of attachment to sound and form, I therefore examined it." Guishan said: "You have not yet clearly understood this matter at all." The Master said: "How can one clearly understand this matter?" Guishan said: "Jizi's sound and form; the old monk's east and west." The Master said: "One moon in a thousand rivers; the essence does not divide the waters." Guishan said: "It must be like this to be right." The Master said: "Like gold and gold, in the end there is no different color; how could there be different names?" Guishan said: "What is the principle of having no different names?" The Master said: "Vases, plates, hairpins, bracelets, talismans, bowls, and basins." Guishan said: "Jizi talks Chan like a lion's roar, frightening away the packs of foxes, wolves, and jackals."

1.24

One day, while the Master was attending Guishan, they suddenly heard a bird call. Guishan said: "It speaks of the matter quite directly." The Master said: "You must not say so to others." Guishan said: "Why do you say so?" The Master said: "Because its speech is too straightforward." Guishan said: "How many dharma gates has Jizi swept aside at once!" The Master said: "How is the matter of sweeping aside?" Guishan knocked three times on the meditation seat.

1.25

When the Master was dwelling at Mount Wangmang, he returned to pay his respects. Guishan asked: "Since you are called a good spiritual friend, how do you discern whether those who come from various quarters know of it or do not know of it, have lineage transmission or have no lineage transmission, study doctrinal meaning or study the abstruse? Try to explain and let me see." The Master said: "Huiji has a way to test them. Whenever I see a monk arrive, I immediately raise the fly-whisk and ask him: 'Do they also speak of this in various quarters, or do they not speak of it?' Furthermore, I say: 'Leaving this aside, what is the meaning of the venerable elders in various quarters?'" Guishan sighed and said: "These are the fangs and claws passed down in the Chan school." Guishan also asked: "The karmic consciousness of the sentient beings of the great earth is vast and indistinct, with no basis to rely upon; how do you know whether they have it or do not have it?" The Master said: "Huiji has a way to test them." At that time, a monk passed by in front of them; the Master called out: "Ācārya!" The monk turned his head. The Master said: "Upādhyāya! This is precisely karmic consciousness, vast and indistinct, with no basis to rely upon." Guishan said: "This is a single drop of lion's milk, scattering six bushels of donkey's milk."

1.26

The Master asked Shuangfeng: "How is your view recently, junior brother?" He said: "According to my view, truly there is not a single dharma that can engage feelings." The Master said: "Your understanding still remains in the objective realm." He said: "Mine is just like this; how about the elder brother's?" The Master said: "Do you not know? The one for whom not a single dharma can engage feelings." When Guishan heard of this, he said: "That one phrase of Jizi's perplexes everyone under heaven to death." (Xuanjue said: "The sūtra says: 'Truly there was no dharma by which Dīpaṃkara Buddha bestowed prediction upon me.' He said: 'Truly there is not a single dharma that can engage feelings.' Why say: 'Understanding still remains in the objective realm'? Tell me, where does the advantage and disadvantage lie?")

1.27

One day rain fell. Sthavira Tianxing said to the Master: "Good rain." The Master said: "Where is it good?" Tianxing had nothing to say. The Master said: "I can speak of it." Tianxing said: "Where is it good?" The Master pointed at the rain. Tianxing again had nothing to say. The Master said: "Why possess great wisdom yet remain silent?"

1.28

One day, the chief monk held up a fly-whisk and said: "If someone can state the principle, I will give it to him." The Master said: "If I can state the principle, can I have it or not?" The chief monk said: "Just state the principle and you may have it." The Master then snatched the fly-whisk away. (Yunju Xi said: "Where is Yangshan's principle?")

1.29

Layman Pang asked: "I have long looked up to Yangshan, but now that I have arrived, why is it turned face-down?" The Master held up his fly-whisk. The Layman said: "Just so." The Master said: "Is it looking up, or is it face-down?" The Layman then struck the exposed pillar, saying: "Although there is no one here, we still need the exposed pillar to bear witness." The Master threw down the fly-whisk and said: "If you go to various quarters, you are entirely free to cite this." (Yinjing Cen said: "Great and Little Śākya were pushed by Layman Pang until they were thoroughly flustered. But as for the Layman striking the exposed pillar once, how about it? When the whale drinks up all the seawater, the coral branches are revealed.")

1.30

Sansheng came for an interview. The Master asked: "What is your name?" Sansheng said: "Huiji." The Master said: "Huiji is my name." Sansheng said: "My name is Huiran." The Master merely laughed heartily.

1.31

An official visited the Master. The Master asked: "What post does your lordship occupy?" He said: "Judge." The Master held up his fly-whisk and said: "Can you judge this?" The official had no reply. The Master told the assembly to provide a phrase, but none tallied. At that time Sansheng was indisposed and recuperating in the Nirvāṇa Hall. The Master sent an attendant to ask him to provide a phrase. Sansheng said: "Just say that the Upādhyāya has business today." The Master sent the attendant again to ask: "I wonder, what business is there?" Sansheng said: "A second offense is not permitted."

1.32

Chan Master Nanta Guangyong traveled north on pilgrimage to call upon Linji, and then returned to attend upon the Master. The Master said, "What have you come to do?" Nanta said, "To pay respects to the upādhyāya." The Master said, "Do you still see the upādhyāya?" Nanta said, "I see him." The Master said, "What does the upādhyāya resemble—a donkey?" Nanta said, "I see that the upādhyāya also does not resemble a Buddha." The Master said, "If he does not resemble a Buddha, what does he resemble?" Nanta said, "If there were anything he resembled, how would he differ from a donkey?" The Master was greatly astonished and said, "Ordinary and sacred are both forgotten; emotional views are exhausted and the substance is revealed. For twenty years I have tested people with this, and none has ever thoroughly resolved it. Guard and maintain it, my son!" The Master would often say to people, "This child is a living-flesh Buddha."

1.33

Huoshan came to pay his respects. The Master sat with closed eyes. Huoshan thereupon raised his right foot and said, "Just so, just so! The twenty-eight Indian patriarchs were also just so; the six Chinese patriarchs were also just so; the upādhyāya is also just so; Jingtong is also just so." The Master got up and struck him four blows with a cane. Because of this, Huoshan gave himself the title: "The Great Chan Master of the Empire with Four Rattan Blows under Jiyun Peak."

1.34

The postulant Chigan heard the sound of the bell and thereupon asked, "Is the bell struck because there are ears, or struck because there are no ears?" The Master said, "Just ask; do not worry that I cannot answer." The postulant said, "I have already asked long ago." The Master shouted and said, "Be off!" Censor Liu asked, "May I hear the essential purport of realizing the mind?" The Master said, "If you want to realize the mind, there is no mind to realize; the mind of non-realization is called true realization."

1.35

Minister Lu Xisheng wished to visit the Master. First, he drew this circle figure ○, sealed it, and presented it. The Master broke the seal and wrote beneath the figure: "To know it without thinking falls into the second head; to know it by thinking falls into the third category." He then sealed it and sent it back. Seeing it, the minister immediately entered the mountain. The Master welcomed him at the gate. As soon as the minister entered the gate, he asked, "When all three gates are open, through which gate does one enter?" The Master said, "Enter through the gate of faith." The minister reached the Dharma hall and asked again, "How is it when one does not leave the realm of demons, yet immediately enters the realm of Buddhas?" The Master tapped three times downward with his fly-whisk, and the minister bowed. He asked again, "Does the upādhyāya still keep the precepts?" The Master said, "I do not keep the precepts." He said, "Do you still sit in meditation?" The Master said, "I do not sit in meditation." The minister remained silent for a long time. The Master said, "Do you understand?" He said, "I do not understand." The Master said, "Listen to an old monk's verse: / In a great torrent, not keeping precepts; / Immovable, not sitting in meditation; / Two or three bowls of strong tea, / My intention is beside the mattock." The Master then asked, "I have heard that the minister attained awakening through reading the sutras; is that so?" He said, "Because your disciple read the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, which says, 'Entering nirvāṇa without severing the defilements,' I attained a place of peace and joy." The Master held up his fly-whisk and said, "Just as to this, how does one enter?" He said, "The single word 'enter' is not needed either." The Master said, "The single word 'enter' is not for the minister." The minister then got up and left. (Fadeng said, "Sthaviras! Tell me, for what person is the single word 'enter'?" He also said, "Minister, for now do not be distressed." Xuedou Xian provided an alternative word at Yangshan's holding up the fly-whisk: "The fly-whisk has come into my hands." He also provided an alternative word for the later phrase: "I would have thought you were an ordinary layman.")

1.36

On account of Wei Zhou requesting a gāthā from Guishan, Guishan had said, "To present it face to face is still being dull; how much more so to give it form in paper and ink!" Wei then requested one from the Master. The Master drew a circular figure on the paper and annotated it: "To know it by thinking falls into the second head; to know it without thinking falls into the third category."

1.37

When the Master was a śrāmaṇera, one day He'an Tong called the Master to bring the bench. When the Master brought it, He'an said, "Take it back to where it was and set it down." The Master obeyed. He'an called, "Huiji!" The Master responded. He'an said, "What thing is on that side of the bench?" The Master said, "A pillow." He'an said, "What thing is on this side of the pillow?" The Master said, "No thing." He'an called again, "Huiji!" The Master responded. He'an said, "What is it?"

1.38

When the Master was a śrāmaṇera, a monk asked Shishuang, "What is the meaning of the Ancestral Master's coming from the West?" Shishuang said, "If a person is in a thousand-foot well without using an inch of rope to get out, this person will answer for you the meaning of coming from the West." The monk said, "Recently Upādhyāya Chang of Hunan has appeared in the world, and he also babbles this way and that for people." Shishuang called the śrāmaṇera: "Drag this dead corpse out!" Later, the Master asked Danyuan, "How does one get out the person in the well?" Danyuan said, "Bah! You fool! Who is in the well?" The Master went and asked Guishan. Guishan called, "Huiji!" The Master responded. Guishan said, "He is out!" After the Master became an abbot, he often cited this previous conversation and said to the assembly, "At Danyuan's place I obtained the name; at Guishan's place I obtained the ground."

1.39

When the Master was a śrāmaṇera, he chanted sutras in a loud voice. Upādhyāya Ruyuan scolded him, saying, "This śrāmaṇera chanting sutras sounds just like wailing." The Master said, "Huiji is just like this; I wonder how the upādhyāya is?" Ruyuan looked back at him. The Master said, "If it is like that, how does it differ from wailing?" Ruyuan then dropped the matter.

1.40

The Master called upon Dongsi. Dongsi asked, "Where are you from?" The Master said, "From Guangnan." Dongsi said, "I hear that in Guangnan there is a sea-calming bright jewel; is that so?" The Master said, "It is so." Dongsi said, "What is this jewel like?" The Master said, "During the dark phase of the moon it is concealed; during the bright phase of the moon it appears." Dongsi said, "Did you bring it along or not?" The Master said, "I brought it along." Dongsi said, "Why don't you present it to this old monk?" The Master clasped his hands and stepped forward, saying, "Yesterday when I arrived at Guishan, he also demanded this jewel from me, to the point that I had no words to answer and no principle to put forward." Dongsi said, "A true lion's cub is adept at roaring." (Jiangshan Qin said, "Dongsi only demanded a single jewel, but Yangshan poured out a whole basketful.") After making prostrations, the Master went to the guest quarters, put on his full monastic deportment, and again went up to pay his formal respects. When Dongsi saw him, he said, "We have already met." The Master said, "Meeting like this—could it not be improper?" Dongsi returned to the abbot's quarters and closed the door. When the Master returned, he recounted this to Guishan. Guishan said, "What kind of mindset does Jizi have?" The Master said, "If I were not like that, how could I have recognized him?" (Baofu Zhan said, "Yangshan was very much like a mosquito on an iron ox." Chengtian Zong said, "Yangshan recognized Dongsi; to force an explanation of the principle is inadmissible. Even if Guishan had gone, he would not yet have been able to meet Dongsi face to face.")

1.41

The Master asked Dongsi, "May I borrow a path to cross over to that side?" Dongsi said, "In general, a śramaṇa cannot have only one path; is there anything else?" The Master remained silent for a long time. Dongsi then asked, "May I borrow a path to cross over to that side?" The Master said, "In general, a śramaṇa cannot have only one path; is there anything else?" Dongsi said, "There is only this." The Master said, "The Son of Heaven of the Great Tang is definitely surnamed Jin."

1.42

When the Master thanked his preceptor for the precepts at Zhongyi's place, Zhongyi slapped his mouth and made a 'he-he' sound. The Master crossed from west to east; Zhongyi again slapped his mouth and made a 'he-he' sound. The Master crossed from east to west; Zhongyi again slapped his mouth and made a 'he-he' sound. The Master stood in the center, and only then thanked him for the precepts. Zhongyi said, "Where did you obtain this samādhi?" The Master said, "I shed it from Caoxi's seal." Zhongyi said, "Tell me, whom did Caoxi receive with this samādhi?" The Master said, "He received Yisujue." The Master said, "Where did the upādhyāya obtain this samādhi?" Zhongyi said, "I obtained this samādhi at Master Mazu's place." (Langye Jue said, "Let not a sorrowful person speak to a sorrowful person.") The Master asked, "How can one perceive the meaning of the buddhadhātu?" Zhongyi said, "I will explain a parable to you: It is like a room with six windows, inside of which there is a monkey. Outside, there is a monkey calling 'Xingxing!' from the east side, and Xingxing immediately responds. In this way, when called from all six windows, it responds to all." The Master bowed in thanks, rose, and said, "Just now I received the upādhyāya's parable, and there is nothing I do not understand. There is still one matter: What if the monkey inside falls asleep, and the monkey outside wants to meet it—how is it then?" Zhongyi stepped down from his rope-chair, took the Master's hand, danced, and said, "Xingxing has met with you! It is like a midge building a nest on a mosquito's eyelash and shouting at the crossroads: 'The land is vast and people are few; those who meet are rare!'" (Yunju Xi said, "At that time, if Zhongyi had not obtained this single statement from Yangshan, where would Zhongyi be?" Chongshou Chou said, "Is there still anyone who can settle this principle? If it cannot be settled, it is merely the maneuvers of playing with ghosts; where is the meaning of the buddhadhātu?" Xuanjue said, "Were it not for Yangshan, how could Zhongyi have been seen? Tell me, where is the place where Yangshan was able to see Zhongyi?")

1.43

The Master called upon Yantou. Yantou held up his fly-whisk. The Master spread his niṣīdana. Yantou took the fly-whisk and placed it behind his back. The Master draped his niṣīdana over his shoulder and walked out. Yantou said, "I do not approve of your letting go; I only approve of your gathering in."

1.44

While the Master was admiring the moon with Changsha, the Master said, "Everyone possesses this, yet they just cannot use it." Changsha said, "It is precisely that I hire you to use it." The Master said, "How do you use it?" Changsha gave him a kick in the chest. The Master said, "Gah! Right off, it is just like a tiger!" (Changqing Leng said, "Before, both were masters; after, neither was a master." He then provided an alternative word: "False dharma is hard to uphold." Baofu Zhan said, "Such a fine moon! Only, too much force was applied; being kicked and broken by him, it turned into two instead. Everyone says that Cen the Tiger is extraordinary, but they should know that Yangshan has the capability of trapping tigers." Deshan Mi offered a substitute word: "Give him another kick." Langye Jue said, "Although Li Ling was a skillful hand, how could he avoid falling into the pit himself?" Jingshan Gao said, "A pure and clear orb, cold light for ten thousand miles. For the sharp, when leaves fall they know autumn has arrived. For the dim-witted, loyal advice grates on the ears: will it stop or not stop, will it cease or not cease? The Little Śākya has the capability to trap tigers, yet the old tiger has no teeth. How could that kick at that time have been rash? Falling suddenly to the ground was no accident. Is there anyone in the assembly who can discern the black from white between these two elders?" After a long pause, he said, "Even if there were, it would also be swinging a stick to hit the moon.")

1.45

The Master called upon Upādhyāya Guti. Guti said, "Go away! You have no buddhadhātu!"
The Master folded his hands, stepped forward three paces, and answered, "Yes?"
Guti smiled and said, "Son! Where did you attain this samādhi?"
The Master said, "From Danyuan I obtained the name, and from Guishan I obtained the ground."
Guti said, "Might you not be a true son of Guishan?"
The Master said, "In terms of conventional truth, it is not absent; but in terms of the Buddhadharma, I would not dare [claim it]."
The Master then asked, "Where did the Upādhyāya attain this samādhi?"
Guti said, "I attained this samādhi from Zhangjing."
The Master sighed and said, "Inconceivable! Those who come find it hard to approach."

1.46

The Master arrived at Chuwei's place in Qianzhou. Chuwei asked, "What is your name?"
The Master said, "Huiji."
Chuwei said, "Which one is 'Hui' (Wisdom)? Which one is 'Ji' (Silence)?"
The Master said, "Right before your eyes."
Chuwei said, "There is still before and after."
The Master said, "Setting aside before and after for the moment, what does the Upādhyāya see?"
Chuwei said, "Go drink some tea."

1.47

Later, the Master opened the Dharma at Mount Wangmang. He asked a monk, "Where did you leave recently?"
The monk said, "Mount Lu."
The Master said, "Did you ever visit the Five Old Men Peaks?"
The monk said, "I have never visited them."
The Master said, "Ācārya, you have never traveled the mountain." (Yunmen Yan said, "These words were entirely for the sake of compassion, talk descending into the weeds." Guishan Xiu said, "People today all say that for the sake of compassion there was talk descending into the weeds; they only know how to grab the moon, unaware of how deep the water is. If Yunmen had been cautious with his lips at that time, I wonder how later people would discuss and understand it? Yet a jellyfish has no eyes; to seek food it must rely on a shrimp." Huanglong Xin said, "Yunmen and Yangshan only had the intention of receiving the jade disk, but lacked the intention of ceding cities. Little did they know that they were completely taken in by this monk. Today Huanglong will try to cure a dead horse once more." He then picked up his fly-whisk and held it out to a monk; as the monk went to take it, he immediately struck him. Guishan Zhe said, "Yangshan can be called one who outshone predecessors and surpassed successors. Although Yunmen brought out the essential principles to forge and hammer the world's patched-robe monks, how could he help making waves where there was no wind? Do all of you still know this monk? He came directly from Mount Lu." Huanglong Zhen said, "Yangshan had already lost his nostrils, and Yunmen added further footnotes—what emergency remedy was there in that? I would not act thus. 'Where did you leave recently?' 'Mount Lu.' 'Did you ever visit the Five Old Men Peaks?' 'I have never visited them.' I would just say to him: 'Steam another cauldron of fragrant rice to make an offering to this person.'")

1.48

The Master ascended the hall and said, "All of you, let each reflect their own light back upon themselves; do not memorize my words. For beginningless kalpas you have turned your backs on the light and cast yourselves into darkness; the roots of your delusive thoughts are deep, difficult to pull up all at once. Therefore expedients are provisionally established to take away your coarse consciousness. It is like using yellow leaves to stop a child's crying—what truth is there in it? It is also like a person who stocks a shop with a hundred kinds of goods along with gold and jewels, intending only to weigh out according to the capacity of customers who come. Therefore it is said that Shitou was a shop of pure gold, whereas mine here is a general merchandise shop. If someone comes seeking rat droppings, I also pick some up and give it to them; if someone comes seeking pure gold, I also pick some up and give it to them."
At that time, a monk asked, "I have no need for rat droppings; I ask the Upādhyāya for pure gold."
The Master said, "Biting the arrowhead while trying to open your mouth, you will not understand even in the year of the donkey."
The monk had no reply.
The Master said, "When people make requests, there is a transaction; when no one makes a request, there is none. If I were to speak of the Chan school, there would not be even a single person by my side to keep me company, let alone an assembly of five hundred or seven hundred! If I speak of this and that, you scramble forward to pick it up, like cheating a small child with an empty fist; there is nothing real in it at all. Now I speak clearly to you of matters on the side of the sages: for now do not apply your minds trying to grasp them, but simply cultivate in accordance with reality toward the sea of your own nature. Do not seek the three knowledges and six supernormal knowledges. Why? These are matters on the peripheral end of sainthood. Nowadays, you just need to recognize the mind and penetrate the source. If only you attain the source, do not worry about the branches; in later days, they will be complete of themselves. If you have not yet attained the source, even if you try to study others with intellectual sentiments, you cannot do so. Have you not seen what Upādhyāya Guishan said: 'When sentiments of ordinary and holy are exhausted, the substance reveals the true and constant. When phenomena and principle are non-dual, that is the Tathatā Buddha.'"

1.49

A monk asked, "What is the meaning of the ancestral master?"
The Master drew this circular figure [○@佛] in the air with his hand and showed it to him. The monk was speechless.

1.50

The Master said to the head monk, "Not thinking of good and not thinking of evil, just at such a time, how is it?"
The head monk said, "Just at such a time is where I abandon body and life."
The Master said, "Why don't you ask this old monk?"
The head monk said, "Just at such a time, I do not see that there is an Upādhyāya."
The Master said, "You cannot support my teaching."

1.51

The Master asked a monk where he had come from.
The monk said, "Youzhou."
The Master said, "I just happen to need news from Youzhou. What is the price of rice there?"
The monk said, "When I came, for no reason I passed through the market and trampled down their bridge."
The Master then stopped. (Houning Yong said, "I let you off thirty blows of the staff.")

1.52

The Master saw a monk coming, held up his fly-whisk, and the monk immediately shouted. The Master said, "The shout is not absent, but tell me: where is this old monk's fault?"
The monk said, "It was not appropriate for the Upādhyāya to present an object to someone."
The Master immediately struck him.

1.53

There was an Indian master who arrived through the air. The Master said, "Where did you leave recently?"
He said, "India."
The Master said, "When did you leave there?"
He said, "This morning."
The Master said, "Why so late?"
He said, "Roaming the mountains and enjoying the waters."
The Master said, "Supernormal games are not absent, but as for the Ācārya's Buddhadharma, you must return it to this old monk before you can go on."
He said, "I came specially to the Eastern Land to pay homage to Mañjuśrī, but instead encountered Little Śākya."
He then took out palm leaves with Sanskrit writing, gave them to the Master, made obeisance, and departed through the air. From this, the Master was called 'Little Śākya.' (Donglin Zong said, "In this place discussions are as numerous as hemp seeds and grains of millet, all saying that this blue-eyed barbarian came without a trace and went without a track, truly outshining predecessors and surpassing successors. Were it not for Yangshan, it would have been hard to handle release and capture. Monks of Chan! Little do you know that this blue-eyed barbarian soared through the air coming and soared through the air going, spending his entire life making a living in empty space—what is there of outshining predecessors and surpassing successors? Both greater and lesser Yangshan had two ladles of foul water poured directly over their heads by him! At that time beneath Cloud Gathering Peak there was an authentic command; why was it not put into effect?" The assembly should say: "What is the authentic command? Bah!" Huanglong Xin said, "Both greater and lesser Yangshan were duped by this monk, who also produced Sanskrit palm leaves to smear over them once. Today, if another extraordinary monk arrived flying through the air, he would be called to wash feet under Yunyan's gate." Letan Zhun said, "It is a pity that Yangshan let this fellow off. Had it been Baofeng at that time, he would have seized him at once, and made the karmadāna strike the bell before the monks' hall to gather the assembly, draw up a statement of reprimand, and drive him out. Moreover, the Buddhadharma does not accommodate personal sentiments. Since he was called an arhat whose outflows were exhausted and whose holy life was established, why didn't he sit stably at home instead of constantly roaming mountains and enjoying waters?" Zhaojue Qin said, "Driving away the plowman's ox and snatching the starving man's food are the talons and teeth passed down from above. This arhat was endowed with so many marvelous functions of supernormal powers, yet coming before Yangshan he was left with staring eyes and gaping mouth. Why? 'The crane has nine marshes and finds it hard to spread its wings; the horse without a thousand-li pace vainly chases the wind.' Dawai Tai said, "Assembly! Yangshan only knew to pursue the deer ahead, unaware that his own body had fallen into a net. The venerable one's casual expression had quite the flavor of a patched-robe monk. If anyone can understand this, I permit you to stroke the tiger's whiskers backward.")

1.54

When the Master was residing at Dongping, Guishan sent a monk to deliver a letter along with a mirror to the Master. The Master ascended the hall, held it up to show the assembly, and said, "Tell me, is it Guishan's mirror or Dongping's mirror? If you say it is Dongping's mirror, it was sent by Guishan; if you say it is Guishan's mirror, it is in Dongping's hands. If you can speak, I will keep it; if you cannot speak, I will smash it to pieces." The assembly was silent. The Master then smashed it and stepped down from the seat. (Wuzu Jie said, "Ask the Upādhyāya to explain the principle further." He suddenly snatched it and broke it.)

1.55

While a monk was calling upon him, the monk asked, "Does the Upādhyāya recognize written characters or not?"
The Master said, "According to capacity."
The monk drew this circular figure ○ with his hand and presented it, lifting it up. The Master brushed it away with his sleeve. The monk again made this circular figure ○ and presented it, lifting it up; the Master made a gesture of tossing it behind his back with both hands. The monk looked at him with eyes fixed; the Master lowered his head. The monk circled around the Master once. The Master struck him, and the monk then left.

1.56

While the Master was sitting, a monk came and made obeisance; the Master paid no attention. The monk then asked, "Does the Master recognize written characters or not?"
The Master said, "According to capacity."
The monk then circled once to the right and said, "What character is this?"
The Master wrote the character "十" (ten/cross) on the ground to reply to him.
The monk circled once to the left again and said, "What character is this?"
The Master changed the character "十" into the character "卍".
The monk drew this circular figure ○ and lifted it with both hands, in the gesture of an asura holding the sun and moon, and said, "What character is this?"
The Master then drew this figure [○@卍] to match it.
The monk then assumed the posture of Louzhide. The Master said, "Thus, thus. This is what all the Buddhas protect and keep in mind. You are thus, and I am thus; protect and maintain it well."
The monk bowed in thanks and soared away through the air.
At that time a Daoist practitioner saw this, and after five days he asked the Master about it. The Master said, "Did you see it?"
The practitioner said, "I saw him go out the door and depart through the air."
The Master said, "This was an arhat from India who came deliberately to sound out my Way."
The practitioner said, "Although I witnessed the various samādhis, I do not discern their principle."
The Master said, "I will explain it for you in terms of meaning: these are eight kinds of samādhi; it is the sea of awakening transforming into the sea of meaning, while their substance is identical. This meaning should encompass cause and fruit, the simultaneous and different times; general and particular are not separate from the body-concealing samādhi."

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